Since the advent of highly efficient and relatively powerful outboard motors, such motors have become increasingly popular and are found to present distinct advantages over inboard mounted motors. For example, outboard motors save hull space normally occupied by inboard motors and their accessories. They also eliminate the need to provide an underwater bearing through the boat hull for the propeller shaft and they are much easier to mount to the boat.
Heretofore, outboard motors, particularly in the 100 horsepower to 300 horsepower class, have generally been clamped or bolted directly to the boat transom. This requires, in most cases, cutting or notching the upper portion of the transom which reduces the seaworthiness of the boat and weakens the transom.
Motor mounting brackets have been proposed, heretofore, to support an outboard motor at a distance rearwardly of the transom. However, those brackets of which I am aware are either too weak to properly support a relatively powerful outboard motor against the considerable drive force and vibration thereof or are too heavy and/or contain a number of movable parts which reduces the reliability and ruggedness of the bracket.
Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide an outboard motor support bracket which is of minimum weight and yet strong enough to adequately mount a relatively powerful outboard motor at a distance rearwardly of a boat hull.
Another object of the invention is to provide a onepiece outboard motor support bracket which enables vertical adjustment of the motor relative to the boat hull without the need for relatively movable parts.
Another object of the invention is to distribute the stresses resulting from the driving forces and vibrations generated by an outboard motor over a relatively large area of the boat transom.
Another object of the invention is to eliminate the need for cutting or notching a boat transom in order to mount an outbard motor thereto.